Dozens of attacks in southern Thailand wound three people

Dozens of coordinated arson and incendiary attacks hit Thailand's southern regions, leaving at least three people injured and causing damage to government property, according to the military. The incidents occurred between 8 PM and midnight on Saturday in multiple locations across the southern border provinces. Firefighters battled burning vehicles and debris left on the road, and police conducted security checks alongside extinguishing flames.

Most of the attacks took place in Narathiwat province, where three civilians sustained injuries, while others occurred in Yala and Pattani provinces. Since 2004, a low-intensity conflict has persisted in the region, resulting in over 7,000 casualties as rebels in the Muslim-majority area strive for greater autonomy. No specific group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Saturday.

Three individuals were hurt in a roadside bombing in Narathiwat: a 45-year-old woman, a 46-year-old woman, and a 21-year-old man. All three were hospitalized and in stable condition. The national railway operator temporarily halted a section of a route in Narathiwat following damage caused by a disruptive bombing. Narathiwat Governor Boonchuay Homyamyen stated that investigation agencies were examining the sites of the attacks, including a local government office, telecommunications towers, and electrical poles, on Sunday.

A curfew was imposed from Saturday night to 6 AM Sunday in Narathiwat. A vehicle was stolen from a subdistrict administrative office during the attack, later found abandoned on a road. Military commander Norathip Poinok disclosed that the attackers aimed to destroy buildings and erode public trust in the state. He mentioned that the military had issued warnings to security agencies but was unaware of the timing and location of the assaults.

Rebel groups frequently target security officials and government facilities, including before official visits to the area. Notably, five soldiers were killed in a shooting and bomb attack at a checkpoint in Narathiwat last month. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his cabinet members are set to visit Hat Yai in southern Songkhla province the following week to discuss investment, flood prevention, and security matters.

Discussions between the Thai government and the National Revolutionary Front, the main separatist group in the south, are expected to resume in June after a surge in violence. These talks have faced challenges in resolving disagreements over self-governance, security measures, and political representation. Thanut Suvarnananda, the head of Thailand's National Intelligence Agency, who was appointed in April to lead the peace process, expressed his desire to shift from a transactional approach to viewing the BRN as a potential partner in addressing demands from various communities in Thailand's deep south, including Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat provinces.